RAVEN’S STANDARD PROGRESSIVE MATRICES (RSPM)

AIM

To assess the intelligence of an individual using Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices given by J.C
Raven.

BASIC CONCEPT

Intelligence is the global capacity to understand the world, think rationally, and use available
resources effectively when faced with challenges.
Intelligence tests provide a global measure of a person’s general cognitive competence including the
ability to profit from schooling.
Psychological notion of intelligence is quite different from the common sensical notion of intelligence.
The Oxford Dictionary explains intelligence as the power of perceiving, learning, understanding, and
knowing. Early intelligence theorists also used these attributes in defining intelligence. Alfred Binet
was one of the first psychologists who worked on intelligence. He defined intelligence as the ability to
judge well, understand well, and reason well. Wechsler, whose intelligence tests are most widely
used, understood intelligence in terms of its functionality, i.e. its value for adaptation to environment.
He defined it as the global and aggregate capacity of an individual to think rationally, act purposefully,
and to deal effectively with her/his environment. Other psychologists, such as Gardner and Sternberg
have suggested that an intelligent individual not only adapts to the environment, but also actively
modifies or shapes it.
Psychologists have proposed several theories of intelligence. Theories can be broadly classified as
either representing a psychometric/structural approach or an information-processing approach. The
psychometric approach considers intelligence as an aggregate of abilities. It expresses the
individual’s performance in terms of a single index of cognitive abilities. On the other hand, the
information processing approach describes the processes people use in intellectual reasoning
and problem solving. The major focus of this approach is on how an intelligent person acts. Rather
than focusing on structure of intelligence or its underlying dimensions, information processing
approaches emphasize studying cognitive functions underlying intelligent behaviour.
Alfred Binet was the first psychologist who tried to formalize the concept of intelligence in terms of
mental operations. Binet’s theory of intelligence was rather simple as it arose from his interest in
differentiating more intelligent from less intelligent individuals. He, therefore, conceptualized
intelligence as consisting of one similar set of abilities which can be used for solving any or every

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 problem in an individual’s environment. His theory of intelligence is called Uni or one factor
theory of intelligence.
In 1927, Charles Spearman proposed a two-factor theory of intelligence employing a statistical
method called factor analysis. He showed that intelligence consisted of a general factor (g-factor)
and some specific factors (s-factors). The g-factor includes mental operations which are primary and
common to all performances. In addition to the g-factor, he said that there are also many specific
abilities. These are contained in what he called the s-factor. Excellent singers, architects, scientists,
and athletes may be high on g-factor, but in addition to this, they have specific abilities which allow
them to excel in their respective domains.
Spearman’s theory was followed by Louis Thurstone’s theory. He proposed the theory of primary
mental abilities. It states that intelligence consists of seven primary abilities, each of which is
relatively independent of the others. These primary abilities are: (i) Verbal Comprehension (grasping
meaning of words, concepts, and ideas), (ii) Numerical Abilities (speed and accuracy in numerical and
computational skills), (iii) Spatial Relations (visualizing patterns and forms), (iv) Perceptual Speed
(speed in perceiving details), (v) Word Fluency (using words fluently and flexibly), (vi) Memory
(accuracy in recalling information), and (vii) Inductive Reasoning (deriving general rules from
presented facts).
Howard Gardner proposed the theory of multiple intelligences. According to him, intelligence is not
a single entity; rather distinct types of intelligences exist. Each of these intelligences is independent of
each other. This means that, if a person exhibits one type of intelligence, it does not necessarily
indicate being high or low on other types of intelligences. Gardner also put forth that different types
of intelligences interact and work together to find a solution to a problem. The eight types of
intelligences proposed by Gardener are logical-mathematical, linguistic, musical, spatial, bodily-
kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal and the naturalistic.

Triarchic Theory of Intelligence Robert Sternberg (1985) proposed the triarchic theory of
intelligence. Sternberg views intelligence as “the ability to adapt, to shape and select environment to
accomplish one’s goals and those of one’s society and culture”. According to this theory, there are
three basic types of intelligence: Componential, Experiential, and Contextual. Componential
Intelligence: Componential or analytical intelligence is the analysis of information to solve
problems. Persons high on this ability think analytically and critically and succeed in schools. This
intelligence has three components, each serving a different function. First is the knowledge acquisition
component, which is responsible for learning and acquisition of the ways of doing things. The second
is the meta or a higher order component, which involves planning concerning what to do and how to

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 do. The third is the performance component, which involves actually doing things. Experiential
Intelligence: Experiential or creative intelligence is involved in using past experiences creatively to
solve novel problems. It is reflected in creative performance. Persons high on this aspect integrate
different experiences in an original way to make new discoveries and inventions. They quickly find
out which information is crucial in a given situation. Contextual Intelligence: Contextual or
practical intelligence involves the ability to deal with environmental demands encountered on a daily
basis. It may be called ‘street smartness’ or ‘business sense’. Persons high on this aspect easily adapt
to their present environment or select a more favorable environment than the existing one, or
modify the environment to fit their needs.

Assessment of Intelligence
In 1905, Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon made the first successful attempt to formally measure
intelligence. In 1908, when the scale was revised, they gave the concept of Mental Age (MA), which
is a measure of a person’s intellectual development relative to people of her/his age group. A mental
age of 5 means that a child’s performance on an intelligence test equals the average performance level
of a group of 5-year olds. Chronological Age (CA) is the biological age from birth. A bright child’s
MA is more than her/his CA; for a dull child, MA is below the CA. Retardation was defined by Binet
and Simon as being two mental age years below the chronological age. In 1912, William Stern, a
German psychologist, devised the concept of Intelligence Quotient (IQ). IQ refers to mental age
divided by chronological age, and multiplied by 100.

IQ = MA x 100
CA

When the MA equals the CA, the IQ equals 100. If MA is more than the CA, IQ is more than 100. IQ
becomes less than 100 when the MA is less than the CA. IQ scores are distributed in the population
in such a way that the scores of most people tend to fall in the middle range of the distribution. Only
a few people have either very high or very low scores. The frequency distribution for the IQ scores
tends to approximate a bell shaped curve, called the normal curve. This type of distribution is
symmetrical around the central value, called the mean.

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 Normal Curve Pattern Showing Distribution of IQ Scores in the Population

All persons do not have the same intellectual capacity; some are exceptionally bright and some are
below average. One practical use of intelligence test is to identify persons at the extremes of
intellectual functioning. The persons in the first group are called intellectually gifted; those in the
second group are termed intellectually disabled. These two groups deviate considerably from the
normal population in respect of their cognitive, emotional, and motivational characteristics.

The American Association on Mental Deficiency (AAMD) views intellectual disability as “significantly
sub-average general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behaviour
and manifested during the developmental period”.

Intellectually gifted individuals show higher performance because of their outstanding potentialities.
The study of gifted individuals began in 1925, when Lewis Terman followed the lives of about 1500
children with IQs of 130 and above to examine how intelligence was related to occupational success
and life adjustment. Although the terms ‘talent’ and ‘giftedness’ are often used interchangeably,
they mean different things. Giftedness is exceptional general ability shown in superior performance
in a wide variety of areas.

Types of Intelligence Tests

On the basis of their administration procedure, they can be categorized as individual or group tests.
They can also be classified as either verbal or performance tests on the basis of the nature of items
used. Depending upon the extent to which an intelligence test favors one culture over another, it can
be judged as either culture fair or culture-biased.

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 Daniel Goleman has written about an Emotional Intelligence of how people manage their
feelings, interact and communicate, combining the interpersonal and intrapersonal of Gardner's eight
intelligences.

The next development in the history of intelligence testing was the creation of a new measurement
instrument by American psychologist David Wechsler. Much like Binet, Wechsler believed that
intelligence involved a number of different mental abilities, describing intelligence as, "the global
capacity of a person to act purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his
environment" (1939). Dissatisfied with the limitations of the Stanford-Binet, he published his new
intelligence test known as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) in 1955.
Wechsler also developed two different tests specifically for use with children: the Wechsler
Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence
(WPPSI). The adult version of the test has been revised since its original publication and is now
known as the WAIS-IV.
Some misuses of intelligence tests
1. Poor performance on a test may attach a stigma to children and thereby adversely affect
their performance and self-respect.
2. The tests may invite discriminating practices from parents, teachers and elders in the society.
3. Administering a test biased in favor of the middle class and higher class populations may
underestimate the IQ of children coming from disadvantaged sections of the society.
4. Intelligence tests do not capture creative potentialities and practical side of intelligence, and
they also do not relate much to success in life. Intelligence can be a potential factor for
achievement in various spheres of life.

Preliminaries

Name:

Age:

Gender:

Educational Qualifications:

Materials required:

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 1. RSPM Response Sheet
2. RSPM Manual
3. Pencil
4. Eraser

Brief Description of the Test

Raven's Progressive Matrices (often referred to simply as Raven's Matrices) or SPM is a nonverbal
group test typically used in educational settings. It is usually a 60-item test used in measuring abstract
reasoning and regarded as a non-verbal estimate of intelligence.

SPM is a power test. A power test assesses the underlying ability (or power) of the individuals by
allowing them sufficient time, the items are generally arranged in an increasing order of difficulty.

It is the most common and popular test administered to groups ranging from 5-year-olds to the
elderly. The tests were originally developed by John C. Raven in 1936.

Versions:

Colored Progressive Matrices: Designed for children aged 5 through 11 years-of-age, the elderly,
and mentally and physically impaired individuals. Most items are presented on a colored background
to make the test visually stimulating for participants. However the very last few items in set B are
presented as black-on-white.

Advanced Progressive Matrices: The advanced form of the matrices contains 48 items,
presented as one set of 12 (set I), and another of 36 (set II). Items are again presented in black ink on
a white background, and become increasingly difficult as progress is made through each set. These
items are appropriate for adults and adolescents of above-average intelligence.

Procedure

a) Rapport Formation:
The participant was called inside the laboratory and was made comfortable. The participant
was briefed about the aim of the test. Once the participant was settled the test was started.
b) Instructions :
‘This is an intelligence test consisting of 60 questions. The difficulty level of the items is
increasing. Attempt all the questions. It usually takes 40 minutes to complete the test. You

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 have to select one correct pattern for all the images’.
c) Precautions:
▪ Room should be silent and well lit.
▪ Participant should be assured of confidentiality of test results.
▪ Although, SPM is not a timed test. However, the participant is prompted after 40 minutes to
complete the test.
▪ The participant should not start the test unless told.
d) Scoring:
The scoring key is given in the manual that helps in marking the correct answers.
The correct number of responses for each set is noted down. Thereafter the normal score
composition is checked to find out about any discrepancy. Finally, the percentile and grade of
the participant is checked.

INTROSPECTIVE REPORT

Written by the participant. How did the participant feel while doing the test? (This is to be written in
first person).

BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATION

Examiner’s observation of the participant during testing. What were your observations while the
participant was taking the test? Comfortable/Nervous/Distracted/Asked a lot of
Questions/Completed the test on time).

RESULT TABLE:

Grand Total :

Sets Set A Set B Set C Set D Set E

Set-wise score

Normal
Composition
Score

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 Discrepancy Score

Percentile:

Grade:

INTERPRETATION:

SPM is a non-verbal assessment tool designed to measure an individual’s ability to perceive and think
clearly, make meaning out of confusion and formulate new concepts when faced with novel
information. Non-verbal aspect of SPM minimizes the impact of language skills on performance.

The participant obtained a grand score of___. In set A,B,C,D& E the participant has got a score
of___,_____,______,______&______respectively. When we check the normal composition score
of the grand total obtained by the participant the scores are___, ___, ___, ___ & ___.

The discrepancy score is not more than +/-2 for any set. Hence, we can accept the score of the
participant at face value. This also indicates that the participant has not engaged in guesswork.
OR The discrepancy score is more than +/-2 for any set. Hence, we cannot accept the score of the
participant at face value. This also indicates that the participant has engaged in guesswork. (page10,
5th paragraph)

The grand score corresponds to the percentile_____. This indicates that_______% of people fall
below the participant as per the normed group.

This percentile is also converted into grade points. The participant’s grade points mean that he/she is
intellectually superior/average/below average _______.

CONCLUSION:

The participant has obtained a percentile score of ____, corresponding to grade ___, which implies
that the participant is intellectually __________.

REFERENCES:

• SPM Manual

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 • NCERT CLASS XII TEXT BOOK

Please write the interpretation of all the factors in the space given below. It should be
approved by the teacher before fairing it in the practical file.

Interpretation:

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